by Hope
The bridal shower is complete and here’s what I spent in total:
| Description | Cost |
|---|---|
| Venue | $250 |
| Photographer | $150 |
| Flowers | $196 |
| Food/Drinks | $217 |
| Games/Prizes | $145 |
| Invitations | $33 |
| Travel | $88 |
| Total | $1,079 |
And here’s what I learned:
- Lots of people, evidently, have no notion of RSVP. And even more, have no clue that when they say they are planning to attend, people count on that and spend money as a result.
- People pay no attention to the invitation you send out ie you will get texts just as your event starting with people asking for the address. And you will get calls 1/2 through the event with people asking why you are not at X$%? location…1/2 an hour away from the location listed on the invite.
- When you are doing some like this long distance, it’s going to cost more because you will have to buy things you would typically be able to grab from your house unless you plan in advance and can tote those things with you across the country.
And so much more.
You can probably infer some of the challenges based on those 3 bullet points alone. We sent out 30 invitations. Only 3 RSVP’d.
When we texted the bridesmaids…several said, what does RSVP mean? Thankfully, all the bridesmaids did show and stay for the entire event.
Multiple people communicated to Beauty that they would be coming…none of them did. We planned for about 20. We had 10. (2 that hadn’t RSVP’d and 1 that hadn’t been invited.) It was a blast.
But we had too much…too much food, too much alcohol, too many prizes for games. I’m glad we did it. I’m glad I went and conquered my nerves. But phew, I’m so glad it’s behind us!
Now the countdown to the wedding.
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
